Latch for vehicle doors



1957 R. c. COURTOT 2,804,331

LATCH FoR VEHICLE DOORS" Filed NOV. 23, 1954 //v yz/v 70 e m /v: 07/4/94 [5 ('0 a? 70 r gaw Jwd M LATCH FOR VEHICLE DOORS Ren Charles Com-tot, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, assignor to Societe: Maglum, Sochaux (Doubs), France, a French body corporate The present invention has for object to provide a latch which is particularly suitable for closing doors of vehicles and in particular doors of automobiles.

The latch of the invention has the following advantages:

The opening of the door may be controlled by means of a push button operated from outside the vehicle, this push button may be locked by a key which may be introduced from outside the vehicle;

The opening and locking of the door may be controlled from inside the vehicle by means of a simple device; in particular, the locking device may be remote-controlled if desired;

It comprises very few parts, is of simple construction, cheap, sure in operation and easy to mount.

This latch comprises in combination two side plates constituting a housing between which are rotatably mounted on a common spindle or pin a driving member comprising a plate provided with an extension which protrudes from the latch and which may be actuated rotatably by a rod rigid with a push button, and a latch bolt provided with a lug which is situated in an arcuate opening formed in said driving member, the centre of curva- States Patent ture of this opening being the centre of the axis of rotation, an elongated housing being provided in one of the side plates below the latch bolt for receiving in the course of the closing movement of the door a keeper having notches, which is introduced and slides in said housing direction said projection is positioned in front of and near the second of said feet and thereby constitutes an abutment or stop which prevents the rotational motion of said driving member in the direction for opening the door.

Further advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view with parts cut away, of a latch embodying the invention, this latch being in a first position;

Fig. 2 is a view of one element of the latch;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view with a part cut away of the latch in a second position;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic fragmentary view of a modification of the invention.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the latch comprises a side plate 1 which serves as a mounting plate for the various members described hereinunder, and a side a I 2,804,331 1c Patented Aug- 27, 1957 plate 2 which forms a cover and fits over the plate 1, the assemblage of these plates forming a housing.

The cover or side plate 2 is provided with an elongated opening 3 to allow the passage of a keeper 4 which issecured to the door pillar and comprises, as known per se, a metal block having an inclined upper face 5 pro-- vided with two notches 6 6 which are adapted to cooperate with the latch bolt. A space between the plate- 1 and the cover 2 is obtained by means of an edge or flange 7 which is formed up at a right angle over a portion of the periphery of the plate 1 and constitutes a frame against which the cover 2 bears, and furthermore, by means of bosses 8 and 9 inserted in the plate 1 which form spacer members, spindles for fixing or rotatably mounting certain elements of the latch and fixing nuts for fixing the latch to the jam edge of the door P, the bore of these spacer members being tapped for receiving screws extending through the wall of the door.

Rotatably mounted on the plate 1, is a driving member 10 which is shown in Fig. 2. This member is, for example, of pressed steel and has a flat plate portion 11 provided with an aperture 12, which permits its assembly on the boss 8. This fiat portion is capable of rotating about the latter and is slidable on the surface of the plate 1. This member 10 comprises furthermore, an oblique portion or car 13 and two feet 14 and 15 cut out of the plate and formed up at a right angle; the function of these two feet will be explained hereinunder. The plate 11 is provided with an arcuate aperture or opening 16, the centre of curvature of which coincides with the centre of the aperture 12. When this member 10 is mounted on the boss 8 and is applied against the plate 1, the ear 13 protrudes from the latch through a notch 17 formed in the plate 1, this notch being of such shape that it permits the member 10 to pivot through a given angle, this angle being determined by the two ends, 18 and 19, of this notch. The ear 13 abuts these ends at each end of its travel. Rotatably mounted on the same boss and on the driving member 10, is a latch bolt 20 including a nose 21 of suitable shape for cooperating with each of the notches 6 and 6 of the keeper 4 in succession. This latch bolt is capable of rotating with respect to the driving member 10 but this rotary movement is limited by a lug or pin 22 secured to this latch bolt and extending into the opening 16. This latch bolt is urged in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1) by a spring 23 which is fixed to a foot 24 and to a tab 25 formed in the plate 1.

The body of the latch bolt is disposed in a generally horizontal direction, the nose being, even when it has been shifted down to the door-closing position, at a level fairly near that of the centre of boss 8. Below the latch bolt, in line with the opening 3, the plate 1 comprises an elongated recess 1 which is adapted to serve as a slide-way for the keeper when closing the door and as a housing for the keeper when the door is closed.

Fixed to the second boss 9 is a guide block 26 in front of which is slidable a movable guide block 27 through which extends a guide rod 28. This movable block is urged to the left (as seen in Fig. l) by a coil spring 29 encompassing the rod 28. The blocks 26 and 27 may be of metal or, preferably, of plastic material, for example nylon. The face 30 of the block 27 bears against the lower edge or flange 7 of the frame of the latch, this edge being inclined with respect to the recessed portion of the plate 1. Thus when the block 27 is urged to the right it moves away from the fixed block 26, but as it is urged to the left by the spring 28 it approaches the fixed block and is therefore capable of exerting a pressure in the direction perpendicular to its travel. The keeper, introduced between the blocks 26 and 27, is therefore clamped therebetween and the door is thereby prevented I from vibrating.

The latch bolt may be rotated in a counterclockwise rigid with; apush, button constituted by a cylinder 32.

slidable in .a. barrel 33 secured to the door or preferably to a fixed handle onl the door (not shown).

The end; of the push'rod. bears against the ear 13-of the driving member 1 0,thuswhenthe pushbutton 32' is depressed it causes this. member to pivot. Owing to the inclinationofltheear, 13, the end of the rod 31 is capable. of, sliding over the formedup portion of the ear and travelling withit in its rotary motion until the member 1i) enters. into Contact with the abutment 18..

member 3fiincludinga foot 37 formed up at a right angle and disposed in front of the edge of the driving member 10 situated between the feet Hand 15. This operating member 36 maybe controlled by means of any device, for example by a link, arrangement pivoted to an arm 38 formed on themember 36. The latter may, furthermore, comprise several arms similar to-the arm 38 so as to provide for the control of this member in various ways and thus permit the utilization of the same latch for different purposes; A control device is shown by way of example. It comprises a link 39 and a crank 40 pivoted to the latter, this, crank being controlled by means of a handle 41 mounted inside the vehicle.

The. operation of thislatch is clear from the foregoing description. Normally, the latch bolt 20 is urged in the clockwise direction byits own weight, but is assisted in this. movement by the spring 23, which merely constitutes a useful, but not indispensible additional safety member. The latch bolt is stopped in its extreme lowermost position by thelug 22 which enters into contact with the lower end of the arcuate opening 16. When, upon closing thedoor, the keeper 4 enters the housing I and slides therein, it upwardlypivots the latch bolt and the latter falls into the first notch 6 the door assuming a first closed position. 1 Thereafter; the keeper continuing in its movement, the latch bolt falls into the second notch 6 resulting in the second closed position, or safety position, of the door, the end of the keeper being gripped between the fixed block 26 and the block 27, which was, yieldably urged away from the block 26 when thekeeper passed between these blocks.

The door is thus latched and held steady. The general position of the latch bolt permits obtaining a particularly efiicient latching position since the force tending to open the door haslfor effect to cause the keeper to exert a force on the latch bolt, this force being applied in the longitudinaljdirection of the latch boltand substantially toward the axis of rotation of the latter. This member is therefore in the best position for resisting a considerable force relative to its dimensions.

To open, the door from outside the vehicle, the push button 32 is depressed so as to bring the rod 31 into contact with the ear i3; and thereby pivot the driving member 10 in the counter-- clockwise direction. This member drives the lug 22 and in consequence causes it is. merely necessary to turn the handle 41 in the; counter clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig.-

3. The link 39 is pulled, the operating member 36 rotates in the clockwise direction, the foot 37 enters into contact with the foot of the driving member 10 and pivots the latter in the counter clockwise direction in opposition to the action of the spring 23, the push button 32 being then inactive.

If it is desired to lock the latch, it is merely necessary to turnthe handle 41 in the clockwise direction so as to exert a pressur Qnthelink 39, which causes the member. 36 to pivot; in. the counter clockwise direction and moves the foot 37 to position 37 shown in dotted line in Fig. 1. In this position, if it is attempted to release the latch by depressing the push button 32, the foot 14 of the memben 10 abutsthe foot 37 and the member 10 is prevented from pivoting. I

In this way there is obtained an extremely simple latch which has few elements, is easy to make and is cheap. This latch maybe easily controlled from inside and from outside the vehicle and, f urth ermore, the locking of the latch is simple to effect by. merely. changing the position of the member; 36. by pivoting. the arm 38. This may be obtained not only by the'link arrangement illustrated by way of cxamplebut; alsoby other mechanical means, in particular linkages of, various types, cable controls, etc. These various operating meansmay of course operate the door from a; distance, This control is not necessarily inechanicahit is also within the scope of the invention to; include: a remote control or other control includingpnenmatic, hydraulic or electric means.

The constructional details of these controls are obvious to one skilled in the art. The actuating devices may compriseeither a, piston actuated by a fluid under pressureQIf y suctionfrorntheintake pipe of the motor,

' 'ran electromagnet connectedto the electric circuit of th h le.

By way of example there has been shown in Fig. 4 a view, of a latch locking, control. including an electromagnet which has a coilSl and is capable of being controlled from a distance, i A plunger 52 is drawn into the electromagnetwhen the latter is excited and emerges from the electromagnet, when the latter is not excited, under the action of a returnspring53 and places itself in front of the foot 14 of the member 10 and thereby prevents the latter from pivoting.

It is clear that it is also easy to lock the latch in such manner that the" plunger is normally in the posi tion forunlocking the latgh and enters into a locking position when itis attracted by the electromagnet. It is also within the capabilities of one skilled in. the art to construct a control inwhicha short periodof excitation of' the electromagnet momentarily attracts the plunger and then allows it. to return to its unlocking position so as to bring the latchrlocking element alternately to its latch-locking. and latc h funlo cking position, whereby the control circuitis only closed. and carrying current during the brief 'periods of actually shifting the plunger.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been described hereinbefore, it isto be understood that"' plate being disposedltransversely of the door, a spindle rigid with and substantially perpendicular to the mounting plate, a-driving-member-pivotably mounted on said spindleandextending substantially parallel to the mount-, ingplate; anextension formedon the driving member, an

arcuate aperture formed in the driving member, the centre of curvature of this arcuate aperture coinciding with the axis of said spindle, an elongated substantially horizontally extending latch bolt pivotably mounted at one end thereof on said spindle on the same side of the mounting plate as the driving member, a nose provided on the end of the latch bolt remote from said pivotal mounting thereof and adapted to engage and latch the notched face of said keeper when the door is moved to its closed position, an aperture formed in the housing to allow said nose to engage said keeper, means for urging the latch bolt about the axis of said spindle to a position in which its nose is capable of engaging the notched face of the keeper when the door is closed, a lug rigid with the latch bolt disposed in said arcuate aperture and freely movable between the two ends of the latter, the position and angular extent of the arcuate aperture relative to the axis of said spindle being such that in a first position of the driving member the lug is at one end of the arcuate aperture and the latch bolt is positively held by this end in a position in which the nose cannot engage the notched face of the keeper and in a secondposition of the driving member the lug of the latch bolt is applied against the same end of the arcuate aperture by said means for urging the latch bolt about the axis of the spindle and the nose is in a position to engage the notched face of the keeper, the lug being however free to move toward the other end of said arcuate aperture and thereby allow said nose to move to a position in which it is incapable of engagement with the keeper, a control device combined with the housing and comprising a member which is co-operable with said extension and is movable between a door opening position and a door closing position, this member when it is moved to said door opening position co-operating with the extension and urging the driving member to said first position thereof and when it is moved to said door closing position permitting the driving member to move to said second position thereof, a first foot and a second foot formed on said driving member in spaced relation to one another, a second spindle fixed in position relative to said mounting plate, an operating and locking member pivotably mounted on said second spindle, a projection formed on the operating and locking member and disposed between said two feet, the projection co-operating with said feet in such manner that when the operating and locking member is pivoted in one direction the projection is capable of engaging the first foot and thus pivoting the driving plate to said first position thereof and when the operating and locking member is pivoted in the opposite direction the projection is capable of engaging the second foot and preventing the latter from moving thus preventing the driving member from pivoting to said second position thereof, and control means for pivoting and holding the operating and locking member in position.

2. Latch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for pivoting and holding the operating and locking member in position comprise an operating handle mounted on the vehicle door and a system of links connecting the handle to the operating and locking member.

3. A latch for a door adapted to be swung to and from a fixed door pillar, a transverse end face of the door being in opposed relation to the door pillar in the closed position of the door, this latch comprising: a keeper adapted to be fixed to the door pillar and having a notched face, a housing adapted to be fixed to said end face of the door and comprising a mounting plate, the mounting plate being disposed transversely of the door, a spindle rigid with and substantially perpendicular to the mounting plate, a driving member pivotably mounted on said spindle and extending substantially parallel to the mounting plate, an extension formed on the driving member, an arcuate aperture formed in the driving member, the centre of curvature of this arcuate aperture coinciding with the axis of said spindle, an elongated substantially horizontally extending latch bolt pivotably mounted at one end thereof on said spindle on the same side of the mounting plate as the driving member, a nose provided on the end of the latch bolt remote from said pivotal mounting thereof and adapted to engage and latch the notched face of said keeper when the door is moved to its closed position, an aperture formed in the housing to allow said nose to engage said keeper, means for urging the latch bolt about the axis of said spindle to a position in which its nose is capable of engaging the notched face of the keeper when the door is closed, a lug rigid with the latch bolt disposed in said arcuate aperture and freely movable between the two'ends of the latter, the position and angular extent of the arcuate aperture relative to the axis of said spindle being such that in a first position of the driving member the lug is at one end of the arcuate aperture and the latch bolt is positively held by this end in a position in which the nose cannot engage the notched face of the keeper and in a second position of the driving member the lug of the latch bolt is applied against the same end of the arcuate aperture by said means for urging the latch bolt about the axis of the spindle and the nose is in a position to engage the notched face of the keeper, the lug being however free to move toward the other end of said arcuate aperture and thereby allow said nose to move to a position in which it is incapable of engagement with the keeper, a control device combined with the housing and comprising a member which is co-operable with said extension and is movable between a door opening position and a door closing position, this member when it is moved to said door opening position cooperating with the extension and urging the driving member to said first position thereof and when it is moved to said door closing position permitting the driving plate to move to said second position thereof, a first foot and a second foot formed on said driving member in spaced relation to one another, a second spindle fixed in position relative to to said mounting plate, an operating member pivotably mounted on said second spindle, a projection formed on the operating member and disposed between said two feet, the projection co-operating with the first foot in such manner that when the operating member is pivoted in one direction the projection is capable of engaging the first foot and thus pivoting the driving member to'said first position thereof, a locking member movable into co-operation with said second foot in such manner as to stop this foot from moving in the direction: corresponding to the movement of the driving member controlling the movement of said locking member.

4. Latch as claimed in claim 3, wherein said means for controlling the pivoting and position of the operating member comprise an operating handle mounted on the door and a system of links connecting the handle to the operating member.

5. Latch as claimed in claim 3, wherein said means for controlling the movement of the locking member com prise an electric coil and a core connected to the locking member. 0

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,769,489 Carrier July 1, 1930 2,131,198 Tasman Sept. 27, 1938 2,143,965 Van Voorhees Jan. 17, 1939 2,270,559 Rolph Jan. 20, 1942 2,569,047 Endter Sept. 25, 1951 2,634,148 Dingman Apr. 7, 1953 2,646,300 Roethel July 21, 1953 2,767,010 Norman Oct. 16, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,032,707 France July 3, 1953 

